(2.) The sin is pardoned, and the sinner justified : Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of sins.' That is the great benefit which floweth from the death of Christ, which is offered in the New Testament: Acts x. 41, 'To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.' And it is sealed and represented in the Lord's supper : Mat. xxvi. 28, ' This is my blood of the new testament, which was shed for the remission of sins.'
(3.) The sanctifying the sinner to God : Heb. xiii. 12, ' Jesus, that he might sanctity the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate ; ' Heb. x. 10, ' By the which will we are sanctified by the offering of Jesus Christ once for all ; ' so Eph. v. 26, ' That he might sanctify and cleanse it, by the washing of water, through the word ; ' so John xvii. 19, 'That they also might be sanctified through the truth.' In these, and many other places, is meant both our dedication to God, and the renovation of our natures, that qualifieth for communion with liim.
(4.) The consummation, or the perfecting of the sanctified, as Heb. X. 14, ' By one offering he hath perfected the sanctified for ever.' The priests of the law were forced to renew their sacrifices, because
368 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XLIV.
they could not completely take away sia ; for ' the law made nothing perfect,' Heb. vii. 19. Could not yield us sufScient expiation for sin, to justify and sanctify the person, so as to open heaven to him, and a free access to God ; but Christ hath fully done this ; perfected us for ever by one offering. There needetli no other sacrifice, no other satis- faction, to remove the guilt and eternal punishment : John xi.x. 30, TereXea-Tai, ' All is finished,' or perfected ; all is undergone that was necessary for the redemption of the elect ; there needed no more to satisfy justice or procure salvation for us.
[3.] The sufficiency of it to these ends and effects.
(1.) From the dignity of the person. He had all fulness in him : a fulness of holiness, Col. i. 9 ; a fulness of the godhead, Col. ii. 9. He was holy and innocent, and also God ; and will not the blood of God cleanse us from all our sins ?
(2.) The unity of his office and sacrifice. There is but one redeemer, and one sacrifice ; and if but one, this is enough : 1 Tim. ii. 5, ' There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.' One sacrifice : Heb. x. 12, ' But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God ; ' Heb. ix. 26, ' But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself;' and Rom. v. 18, 'The free gift came upon all, to the justification of life.' The scripture much insists upon this.
(3.) The greatness of his sufferings : Isa. liii. 4-6, ' Surely he hath boine our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; yet did we esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted : but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all ; ' Phil. ii. 7, 8, ' But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross ;' and Gal. iii. 13, ' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us ; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.' Now, christians, all this is offered to our faith : the notions, the effects, or ends ; the sufficiency of it to these ends and purposes ; the price is paid by Christ, and accepted by God. We partake of these benefits as soon as we perform the conditions of the gospel ; but we triumph when more explicitly we declare ourselves to be true and sound christians. God doth not look for an expiatory sacrifice at our hands, but a thorough application of what he hath found out for us. Tiiis broad foundation laid is not only free for God to build upon, but for us to build upon : if we would enter into his peace, we must take his yoke upon us, and share with him in all conditions.
2. ' Yea ratiier, that is risen again.' When the apostle saitli ' Yea, rather,' there is some special thing in Christ's resurrection compara- tively above his death, which hath an influence upon our justification. What is it? What is the reason of this connection? Was not Christ's dying every way enough to free us from sin, and from con-